Handcuff



. 1945- I F. G. KELLEY 2,390,835

HANDCUFF Filed Feb. 16 1944 I I I INVENTOR 1 54/4 00 jizzur v ATTORNEYSPatented Dec. 11, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Francis G. Kelley,Springfield, Mass. assignor' t'o Peerless Handcuflf Company,Springfield, Mass a corporation of Massachusetts Application February16, 1944, Serial No. 522,585

8 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in handcufis and particularlyto means for avoiding the picking of handcufi looks.

The purpose of my invention is to improve the commercial form ofhandcufi, represented by that shown in the Wesson and Pomeroy Patent No.1,872,857 of 1932. The idea of the improvement is to keep the advantagesof simplicity, relatively small size, light weight, strength and lowcost and add at very little extra cost the feature of a new structure toavoid the picking of the handcufi.

The way this is done will be disclosed by my drawing and description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows one of a pair of handcuffs adapted" to be connected bylinks;

Fig. 1A shows a suitable type of key;

Fig. 2 shows the same handcuff with one arm and its integral lock casingplate removed and the lock mechanism in the casing;

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side view of the lock latch;

Fig, 5 is a perspective view of the bolt;

Fig. 6 is a side view of a portion of the swinging handcufi arm wherethe teeth on it begin;

Fig. 7 is an end view of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail view showing one arrangement of teeth for theswinging arm; 1

Fig. 9 is a detail view indicating another arrangement of teeth, thelatch being shown dotted;

Fig. 9A is a section on line A -A of Fig. 9;

Fig. 10 is a view showing one end construction of the latch; and

Fig. 11 is like Fig. 10 but with a slight modification.

The handcuff structure and operation, apart from the detail I haveadded, can be understood from Figs. 1 and 2. The main frame consists oftwo spaced arms I, between which the swinging arm 2 is pivoted to turnin a full circle. The lock casing is made by using slightly enlargedportions 3 of arms I and a shallow trough-shaped spacer member 4.-Porti0ns 3 make the side plates and member 4 made the bottom and endwalls of the lock casing. The arm 2 makes a movable top wall for thecasing as will be seen. In Fig. 2, when the teeth of pivoted latch 6engage the teeth .of arm 2, the latter can swing in a full circleclockwise but not counterclockwise, provided only that pivoted latch 6is only held up as it is, by a spring in detent plunger 1. Arm 2 willswing past the latch by a ratchet-like movement. But if slidin bolt 8 ismoved, as it can be by a projection 9 on key l0 pushing it to the rightfrom a small hole 9' through spacer member 4 or the lock casing, Figs. 2and 3, then the shoulder ll sol idly underlies latch 6 and the lattercan not move down. If at this time the teeth of arm 2 are in engagementwith the teeth of the latch, the arm can not swing in either direction.The handcufl is completely locked. The bolt is moved to the left out ofsaid locking position with the latch by turning the key in its key holeagainst shoulder I2 01 bolt 8, see Fig. 5. The bolt slides on the bottomwall of the lock casing.

Of course when the bolt is in the left position, Fig. 2, arm 2 can turnclockwise until it is obstructed by a wrist. The arm is always incondition to function to look a wrist under these conditions. While thepurpose of the bolt is to double lock arm 2, the bolt operation requiresattention to its function and a hand operation by the ofiicer, which forone reason or another is not always carried out. Then a small 1ockpicking tool, as a watch spring or the like can be used by thehandcuffed man, in an attempt to pick the look. If he can work such aninstrument between the latch teeth and the teeth of arm 2, he can holdthe latch teeth down, while he slides the a swinging arm teeth backalong the top of the tool and get free of the handcufi. The attempt willbe helped it he can first wedge the tool between the two teeth engagedas an outside pair, close the handcufi a little to carry the tool in toget good engagement between other teeth and then pull the arm out withthe latch riding on the under side of the tool. The dangerous openingfor such tool is at a indicated in Fig. 2.

Various efiorts will be seen in the prior art to guard the handcufiagainst such a lock picking operation. The present invention is toaccomplish-this purpose in a better way than any heretofore proposed.The reason it is better will be seen from the nature of the newstructure added to the handcuif and from the way it operates.

The structure specifically described up to this point and its principlesof operation is pretty well disclosed in prior patents. My purpose is tokeep all the advantages of such structure and in addition provide my newstructure to cooperate with it.

One way to do this is tomill or otherwise provide a slot l5 centrallyacross each tooth of arm 2, Fig. 9 and 9A. This will divide each toothinto two teeth with a transverse space between. While 7 out any changein the way of making the main 1 a parts of the handcufi up to the pointof making two milling cuts in the arm and latch, andsup plying thelittle bar 16 to insert ,in one of the cuts.

The operation of the finishedstructiire with: my improvementadded, is asbefore describedjexcept in the following respect. As the arm swingsacross the top of the lock casing, the bar 16 rides in the slot l5dividing its teeth and when the handcuff is latched on the wrist, thebar' I6 is in positionto. bar. entranneoi a lochpickingi-tool-t at .thepointia: 'Iruaif the tc'olis .thinienoughrand narrow enough; it I can atleasts. in theory..1cllow one. ornanotheniline of the spaced. rows of(teeth and reachzthe. latch. But on such. a theory .the tool Willneed tobe about .onenthird thezwidth of what the space ofieredfor. admittancebefore my improvemenhand evenmore important the; least deviation from astraight ine. insertion will. cause i s en to ontact, loanin .The;oddsagainst the so lock being. picked. are reaflyincreasedatalmost noincr ased. cost; and without the slightest in teriergriie with the dsirab e .formand operation ithe handcufi asnowiwdely. Y i

. It ,Wil he nQWdthat sid slots llton arm z abov i ste th. enga e neszfltshowndottedion a ac nt. s e la es' ithe loch-casin see. Fig. 2. W ene arm. is in loo in position tnisarrangeiiien str n then the. h dcufig,a ainst being i wi e aii e l ck gasineahrisprins ngio di t rt arms le wsnsuchioasins.anchthe P q P int of. the arm -.nlf he-imi l ng cutie I dvi .F 9 3 8; .i fmi gfih means-instanc weakens th c nect o eithet th.tmthc, arm,

. i p i s Pr si n mas he m de..- .linamilh ins cut i? iriqe-i ieieeth mh nieciepr q la dep h thet series .qishortt eth ethe iPm-Q he iiledsmovase Fig; 8;, This ofiers, thedesirable.adyantflgflfififstronger'teth, engagement oi the latch teeth n.

the waycrosswiseof'thelocking arrn teeth, and easy manufacture rnf'tlreev rows of teeth on the locking arm. It'interferes in no w ay. withthe operation of my saun er picking arrangement in'thehandcuifil I havedisclosed myfinventi'o'h' and I claim; 1

' '1. A handcufi or the type shown witha rotatable arm havingperipheral" t'eth, "a ilo'ck casing having an open top to be closed bysaidarmf a spring pressed latch having teeth permitting one directionand preventing the otherfdire'ction of rotation forsaid arm,"th'eperipheral teeth. of said arm being divided into two outside. rows'witha slot between, 'a narrowbarcarried rigidlyj o n the latch and in linewith said slot, said bar being in position when'thehandcuff is in latchlocking position to blockjo'ff a picking tool between the lock casingend'wall and said peripheral i;eetl

2. A handcufi comprising in combination two spaced parallel arms, a L!shaped spacer member between the arms at one end forrning with the armsOpen WP .lb in i a ird ann pivoted between the spaced arms at theendopposite the l a g. and adapted tot irn .a complete circle, peripheral-1ratchettceth. onsaid. third 45 t fin arm extending from its free endover a substantial arc, this are of said arm adapted to overlie andclose the top of said lock casing, an are shaped groove extendingtransversely of said teeth, lock mechanism in said casing including aspring pressed latch arm with teeth adapted to engage said ratchet teethas the latter start to move. acrpssthe top of the casing, a. small rigidbar 'c'arried at-the meeting end of the latch arm l0"to"eng"ag'e in saidare shaped groove and block off the entrance for a lock picking toolbetween latch arm and ratchet teeth. 1 3. A handcufi made up ofrelatively movable arms and. means carried by the arms to look a 5wris-tbetween them, said means comprising a I '10l.' ca ing with a sideopening adapted to be closed as one arm is moved across such opening,

; asetof. ratchet teeth on said arm, a latch arm with a cooperating setof teeth in the lock casing,

'said ratchet teeth having a grove through them vin the. in -oi, theirmovement. a small rigid bar carried bli he latchar n to ride in saidgroove all for the purpose described.

. hand t o th t p (ascribed t e c bination of oppositoly curved clampingarms, one

carrying .a lock casing and the other carrying a semi eripher lly a r ned r tc wik teeth. a latoh in the loclscasing having a set orcooperating teeth for locking said. latch carrying a small rigid.- baron its outsidev tooth and said ratchetelike teeth having. a groovethroughthem "in whi'ch 'said-bai;rides as the arms are clamp togetherand locked by the latbhff 5. A handcufl having clamping: Inernb'ers, piv

0121113 means. a lock casing, carried opposite to said means acrosstheinnerfface' or which one Of the clamping members my. swing for clo nathface. a latch member with inside" teeth Within th casing'andicooperatingteeth on. said swinging 'arm', the latter adapted toslide by the formerin one direction and be prevented from 'back'wardmovement, said swinging arm, and la'tchI being DrOvided with ,3;cooperat n g's ot on one and projection to ride in said lot on the otherto preerting'a. *lockl picking tool betweenthe 6. A handcuff comprisinga lock casing having side plateswith' extenfsionsthereirom to formspaced parallel semi-circular" arms, a spring pressedlatchwithtoothedmeans lying adjacent one top corner of'the lbcldcasing,a semi-circular peripherally toothed arm pivoted opposite fthe -lockcaslng with a portionto ride across theltop of the loci; casing for theteeth to engage for lock- -ing-againstone directionof movement, saidarmhaving very small clearance as it starts to overlie the lockc as l s, agroove on the periphery of its teeth and a project-lento ride in saidgroovefon the end of the latch whereby the projection will bein'line-with said clearance at all times. A

-'7 A handoufi comprising a lock casing having permanently closedbottom, side and ,end walls, afswinglng" armhaving an end portionshaped: to overlie and close the 'top face of said :caslng-,' 'meansextending from the lock casingto la'point above itas a su'pport for saidarm and to :which itiis'pivoted, the" outer end wall at its top surfacebeing positioned for the swinging arm to barely clear itin swinging intocovering position forlthelock casing, a; toothed latch having aprojection always movable with the latch and always.cxtendingiabovesaidtop surface in over- .lappingposltionf-with the end of the swinging arm,:saidarm having an open ended groove extending hackwardly from itsforward end in which the latch'carricdzprojection rides,v said armhavcarry said arm, a latch arm having toothed means 10 at one end tosuccessively engage the teeth on the pivoted arm as it swings in onedirection and to prevent it swinging in the other direction,

spring pressed means to hold the latch arm in yielding teeth engagingposition, a lock casing on the frame to enclose the latch arm on allsides except its top, said casing providing for a close clearance fitbetween the upper edge of its outer end wall and the teeth on said areof the swinging arm, the latter being provided with a grooveintermediate of and parallel to its sides and said latch having anupstanding rigid projection beyond its toothed portion to ride insaid-groove for the purpose described.

FRANCIS G. KELLEY.

